Catching-up: day 3 of the Harpers Ferry-Antietam Sesqui weekend

Finding myself adequately worn-out after the hike up Maryland Heights, on Thursday… and then the “breakout” tour in Harpers Ferry, last night, I haven’t been able to keep pace with blog posts. So, drafting a hasty one before heading out this morning.

It’s been great so far.

The hike up Maryland Heights… with a friend/co-worker brought to mind a friend of mine… a die-hard contemporary Confederate-leaning fellow… who said that I would never find a yankee in his family tree. In fact, I found two… father and son… and one of them was here, with the 126th New York, 150 years ago, on Maryland Heights…

… and was among the vast number captured, 150 years ago today.

I returned to Harpers Ferry again last night… this time with my daughters… to see the costumed interpretation of the cavalry breakout.

This was particularly cool. Not only did my girls enjoy it, but they are even more excited at the thought of volunteering with me, for the Harpers Ferry costumed, interpretive programs.

Anyway, the tour was quite the experience… never having been at Harpers Ferry at night.

Those who delivered the program brought the story to life…

… and the story is thrilling and sad…

Sure, 1500 Federal cavalry made a daring breakout, but another 1500+… all African-Americans… contraband… ended up as part of the Confederate prize when Harpers Ferry surrendered… and were sent South, back into slavery. That ties in quite well to what I mentioned the other day, regarding Otto Nesbitt’s observations of fear, in free blacks, when word came of the Confederate advance

On yet another note, the breakout was also about Southern Unionists… yes… and at the head was Union Col. Grimes Davis, of… Mississippi; in the column were troopers… many who were Marylanders, of Cole’s Cavalry; and helping to guide them out… Virginian, Tom Noakes… a carpenter from neighboring Berkeley County.